Left Field

To the Moon & Back

Fri, 27 May 2011 01:13:42 -0500

Goodbye dinner #2012309

Tonight, my Austin girlfriends took me out for our last dinner (I swear, I’m really leaving now…).

We’re a crazy bunch. We’re a wild bunch, and we’re definitely a funny bunch. We’re a mini-United Nations. We cry. We laugh. We giggle. We make up nicknames for each other. We eat too much. We’re each so different from the other. We’re respected. We’re all helping raise baby Reed, yes - we have a community baby (thanks, Ian). When I’m driving to meet up with them, I preemptively giggle at the fun times we’re about to have. They host 120498 goodbye dinners, and house warming parties.

And even though I am moving, the great thing about girlfriends like mine - they never leave you.

And as Coco says, “Love you to the moon and back.”

This video sums us up pretty perfectly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4qwVLqt9Q&feature=youtu.be

Homegrown

Thu, 26 May 2011 15:29:34 -0500

Almost 2 years ago, I attended my first OFA-TX meeting in Edinburg, Texas. I had just moved back to Texas from DC, and was still nervous with my decision. After briefly meeting our volunteers, one of our biggest Valley supporters – Dr. Beverly Friedie introduced to all attendees. I will never forget that introduction and how it made me feel. She introduced me, described my experience and concluded with, “And folks, best of all – she is homegrown.”

That meeting kicked off 2 amazing years of organizing and living in Texas. I’m extremely grateful that for two years I worked with my dream field team, with the best volunteer leaders, and spent a lot of quality time with my family and friends.

Today kicks off my next adventure. I’m flying back to Austin for my goodbye dinner #29384 w/my girlfriends and hitting the rd. tomorrow. After a 4-month sabbatical from OFA (2 months in Africa, 2 months play), it’s time to get back to work.

Almost 4 years ago, I left my job at Red Cross for a shot at campaigning and organizing in Las Vegas for Hillary. Tomorrow, I’ll be on the road again to NV. Nevada is the place that taught me that asking someone to make phone calls is asking them to have a voice in democracy. Nevada is where I learned to build neighborhood teams and empower volunteers. I owe it to that state – it was there I fell in love with organizing.

Excited for the next adventure and you know what they say, what happens in Vegas… re-elects the President.

Ps. Keep an eye out for rd. trip tidbits.

Sammy picking me up at the airport when I moved back home.

Pic. from my first OFA-TX meeting.

Mom & Me before boarding. We have the same hairstyle.

Babies, babies, babies - clinging to me. Sigh.

Austin

Mon, 02 May 2011 22:29:49 -0500

Austin

Oh, how I missed you Austin.

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:12:39 -0500

Oh, how I missed you Austin.

Mrembo Kenya means beautiful Kenya in Kiswahili. Two months...

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:32:00 -0500

Leaving OFA/DNC for our trip

First team photo

Bumper sticker on our first cab

Obligatory 1st Day of Work pic.

Dinner Day #1

Kisumu sunset

Learning some dance moves...FINALLY

Taking picture #20238402309 in Kenya

Maasai Mara sunset

Our dear friend and companion, Face

Mrembo Kenya

means beautiful Kenya in Kiswahili.

Two months ago after deliberating whether to take a leave from OFA, and do this job - I decided I would do it for the following two reasons:

I love organizing, and doing it on an international scale is one of my dreams.
I was looking for my next great challenge. (As if organizing Texas isn’t enough.)

Well, I definitely got a challenge.

Like most significant moments in my life, upon arriving, I initially met Kenya with resistance. It wasn’t just the jetlag or the homesickness, it was being out of my comfort zone and in a country where everything, everyday - is new. Even the organizing challenges are new.

I’ve had my share of sleepless nights in Kenya. In fact, as I draft this blog entry, it is 7 am in Nairobi and I’ve not slept all night. I’ve been so homesick and missed my life (family, friends, work, home) at times, that it has felt like my heart literally aches. I’ve spent a lot of time evaluating my life, my profession of choice- and whether I can make a difference. I’ve struggled with disconnecting from my TX work, almost as if I just refused to. But most importantly, I’ve spent a lot of time daydreaming of all that I am grateful for and how lucky I feel to have this opportunity. When I think about this experience in comparison to others, this isn’t the first time I’ve encountered these symtoms. Diagnosis: Growing pains.

Now, to the reason our team is here. We had a rocky few weeks with the preliminary youth assessment and the leadership summit. To wrap up this phase of our work, we met with youth leaders yesterday to discuss next steps and recommendations. Unlike before, they were engaged. They took notes. We set deadlines and timelines. They were receptive to my campaign plan and recommendations. They’re establishing organizational and mobilization goals. They want to add a leadership component to their work plan. Swoon.

I’m hopeful that together, we’ll see our commitments through. I strongly believe in the power of Kenyan youth, and the tremendous potential youth leaders posses. They will rise to the challenge, and it will start at the local grassroots level.

The past few days have been spent in meetings, and goodbyes with friends. Last night we had dinner with our director at USAID. We were discussing many of the challenges this program faces. I asked him, “With so many challenges, with so much work to do, why stay with this project and work? What’s the reasoning behind it?” In response, he told us about his days with the Peace Corps in Kenya and Nicaragua. He’s seen and lived in the poorest of conditions. On his most difficult days, he told us he connects the dots - connects the dots between the the work he is doing and how these programs help the greater community, Kenyans, Nicaraguans - all those he’s met along the way.

I’ll remember that, and do my best to connect the dots.

Beyond it’s challenges, Kenya stands out as a country that strives to make the next day better than the last. We were lucky and privileged to be a part of it for a short time.

Few highlights from this trip:

We met hundreds of Kenyan youth who shared their stories with us and want a better Kenya.
Inspired by Kenyan women, Muslim women in particular (based on my interaction), unafraid to speak up in conservative regions. They are making their voice heard, loud and clear.
Wrote a national youth field assessment and field plan. Amazing opportunity.
Learned that Kenyans eat almost as much meat as Texans.
Traveled over 4k kilometers in Kenya, learned as much as I could possibly absorb.
Tracy Chapman’s Baby Can I Hold You can be heard on every radio station and hotel lobby in Kenya. True story and a sweet reminder of home.
Celebrated my first St. Patty’s Day in Kenya.
Elephants, period.
My mama who just recently had her first social media training before I left (I was the facilitator) used facebook, text, and email to write me everyday.
Felt the love from my friends and family in the states. Regularly got encouraging emails. I had a blog dedicated to me (this is a sign that I’ve hit the big time) thanks to my friend Mike, and my friend Erin even sent me a collection of haikus*:

EMMY

My love, it does grow

Dora the explorer, yo

Please come home for sho

KENYA EMMY

Eyes are so starry

Love her like a safari

Jambo Jambo e

KAUAI EMMY

Looks like a palm tree

Swimming is not her strong suit

Can eat lots of pig

*All true.

The past 6 weeks have served as an opportunity for me to learn a lot about myself, and leave me inspired to work through challenges ahead.

And like most significant moments in my life, as I get ready to complete this journey - I am absolutely in love with this country and its people, and wishing that perhaps we would have had more time and that there was more we could have done.

This project isn’t over, and we’ll hopefully be back soon. At the latest, I’ve promised Halima I will be back for her wedding. In turn, she has promised to find a suitor quickly. Ha.

Until I’m back, I will miss and rembrembo Kenya often.

But before I do, I’ve got to board the plane and ask the pilot to take me straight to Texas.

Ps Here is a list of blogs submissions you were spared from reading:

kEMMYa (original blog title)
¿Quénya?
Chaparty
Me Talk Pretty Kiswahili One Day
Layover in Emsterdam
LUKEing Good in Kenya

Kenya Dig It

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:01:00 -0500

On Friday, we left Nairobi for the Maasai Mara on the Kenya/Tanzania border. It is one of the few remaining untouched lands in the world, and also the setting of some of the National Geographic documentaries. You know all those shows about the large animal migrations? Maasai Mara.

The plane that transported us is smaller than most of the toy airplanes my nephews own. But, nothing my earphones on blast couldn’t ignore.

We spent two nights at the Maasai Mara and went on four safaris. Our last safari ended with a surprise champagne breakfast overlooking the hippo pond.

During our safaris, we were able to drive (and off-road) the vast savanas, and observe wild animals in their natural habitat. We saw zebras running away from a young cub, tribes of elephants grazing, lions mating (Kenya hear the love tonight?), warthogs, hyenas, and the most beautiful sunsets/sunrises I have ever seen in my life.

But, perhaps most memorable was the conversation I had with a staffer at the lodge.

Sylvester: Hi, I meant to say hi to you last night when I saw you playing cards.

Emmy: You should have. (We were playing UNO.)

Sylvester: You seemed very interesting playing cards. Are you an acrobat?

Emmy: ~~I can be whatever you want me to be.~~ Um. Ha. I’m not. You really thought that?

Sylvester: The way you were sitting, you looked like an acrobat.

Emmy: (Note to self: Start sitting like a lady.) Oh okay, that works. Next time say hello. <I immediately double flipped out of the lodge of emmybarrassment.>

On Sunday, we returned to Nairobi (on an even smaller plane than the first).

That afternoon, we arranged for a private meeting at Sheldrick with the baby elephants for Myke, Rose, Bobo, and Tracie - as a thank you for being our Kenyan family. What we thought would be a great family experience ended up being one of the most traumatic moments of Bobo’s life. The baby elephants must have seemed the size of dinosaurs to her, and she was not pleased. For me, however, it was seriously one of the happiest, most whimsical moments of my life.

Kenya believe it?

Check out some of the my favorite pics. from this weekend below.

Sue me for dressing for the occasion. Not sure what is up with the pose, but I’d still like to dedicate my safari shirt to some of my heroes who inspired my gear: Jack Hannah, Steve Erwin (RIP), Sam and Josh Ruiz.

Check out the baby in the middle.

Zebra stampede

These white little birds follow elephants around. Adds to their magic.

Breakfast by the hippo pool

You can almost hear my biological clock ticking in this photo.

Bobo fearing for her life. Part of me thinks she had elephant milk-bottle envy.

My favorite Kenyan friends. I love them even more than the elephants.

Tafadhali Aminimeans please believe in Kiswahili. Please...

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:34:00 -0500

Say what?

My dear friend Halima and me

Eating my emotions

Tafadhali Amini

means please believe in Kiswahili. Please believe is an organizing motto that was born many cycles ago to my dear friend (and first field director) Marlon Marshall, but caught steam in Vegas with our Hillary team. For me it means recognizing the challenges that accompany organizing, but most importantly - it asks, it tells, it pleads for you to believe (and take action) in a better future.

The past few days in Kenya have often reminded me of my NV organizing experience.
After completing our initial assessment, we led a summit with national leaders to discuss our findings (specifically challenges and opportunities), and next steps. Our goal during our stay in Kenya is, ultimately, to work with organizations to empower youth at the grassroots level. Consider the organizer’s mantra of taking what you have, turning it into what you need, to get what you want.

Easier said than done. Before I left Texas, I was joking that organizing Kenya had to be easier than Texas. I was wrong.

Our summit yesterday was incredibly sobering.

Youth leaders in Kenya are inspirational, passionate, smart, and incredibly able of creating the change Kenya needs.

However, they face some serious challenges. Among those identified yesterday, they lack the willingness to work together, a culture of volunteerism, and an understanding of what empowering people really means.

They are cautious to take ownership of engaging and empowering those who they say they are fighting for.

They remind me of myself in Nevada. When I first started organizing, I viewed asking people to volunteer (make calls, knock on doors, precinct captains, volunteer recruitment) as an inconvenience for them. Many of these people were single mothers, unemployed or working multiple jobs, and struggling with their day-to-day. I specifically remember having a conversation with our State Director, Robby Mook, about this. He asked me why I wasn’t meeting my goals. I defensively told him that I couldn’t justify asking a supporter who already had more than enough on their plate to make a sacrifice of volunteering after work, taking time away from their kids, etc. He said to me, “We’re not asking them to sacrifice, we are giving them an opportunity to participate in their future, to have a voice.” Truth.

Only time will tell if our summit made any difference at all. Ultimately, solutions and next steps need to come from them, not us. Today, I want to believe that many of our suggestions will be implemented at the local level in their individual organizations. If the leaders work together, if they are inclusive, and if they work to empower the grassroots - they will be successful.

Alas, great organizers need great challenges. Please believe, they will meet them.

“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one hundred...

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:01:00 -0500

“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one hundred percent. That’s my code, my motto.” Horton Hears a Who! - Dr. Seuss

Yesterday marked our third visit to the elephant orphanage. During our visit, we spent time making friends with the keepers, learning about the elephants, and simply enjoying some quiet time at the park.

This little one loves her milk. She also loves to do the opposite of what the trainers ask her to do. We spent some time talking to her keeper and he gave us insight as to how they are disciplined. He told us that similar to children, they must be reprimanded and given…time outs. During time outs, they are removed from the group for 30-60 minutes and play alone.

Also, you’ll notice in these pics. that some of the elephants are wearing blankets. The babies wear blankets to protect them from pneumonia.

She may be one of the known naughty ones, but she’s no competition to Chemi Chemi (the one I’m fostering).

These two were rescued days apart and are very close in age. Since the day they met, they’ve been inseparable and are BFFs. They are so close that they are the only two elephants that share their sleepy pen. One thing they don’t like to share: food.

Here’s a pic. of my special Chemi Chemi, the naughtiest of the group. He is 1 of 3 bulls (boys) in the entire orphanage. He pushes the others to prove that he is the “man” of the group. Unfortunately for him, they’re not afraid to push back (bullies) and put him in his place. What? Okay, maybe I’m biased. I told him it gets better.

Notice how stylish he is in his eating ways. I taught him how to cross his legs.

And here is Naipoki, the baby of the group. She is Elliott’s foster baby. Before we left the orphanage, she fell asleep in her little pen covered in a blanket. Can you think of anything more endearing? Consider my heart melted.

Pot Calling the Kettle Sexist

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:48:00 -0500

After 29 days, 3190 kilometers, 12 cities, 31 meetings/forums, and 2 adventures in food poisoning - our listening tour wrapped up last Friday.

Our last meeting was with 13 male youth leaders from the Eastern Region (read: Somali border). When we first set our travel schedule, Garissa (biggest city in the region) was included, but it was quickly scrapped by our advisors due to security concerns. This region is largely underdeveloped and very rural.

We’ve heard a lot of common challenges in Kenya, but this region faces some of the biggest obstacles. Due to violence and security concerns spilling over from Somalia, this region is often abandoned and ignored by the Kenyan government and as a result, the people of this region do not have any Kenyan pride or interest. This region has the highest education discrepancy, highest illiteracy rates, and suffer from lack of exposure to the developed country areas. They spoke about the challenges women in the region face, like female circumcision.

It was right around this time that I asked one of my favorite questions: ”Why aren’t there any women here today representing your region?” Here’s what I got in return:

“You know, I was looking at the GM board of directors and there are about two women on that board. Also, Obama has not selected many female secretaries in his administration, so before you go judging us…” Yikers.

(side note: I was about 15 min. late to the meeting because I was working on the report, and Kellie had apparently already asked this at the beginning…)

One of the other leaders then kindly explained that because this region is very conservative and Islamic, women were unable to travel to the meeting because they would have needed to be away from their husbands or their parents for two nights and traveled alone with men.

I apologized ( in case my previous tone was defensive) and also explained that I’m incredibly aware of the gender inequality challenges we still face in America. They described the steps they’ve taken to include women and ensure equal representation in their region. They were so genuine in their discussion (and insulted by my question) that I believe them and was completely won over. After the meeting, I asked them how many cracks they’ve made in their glass ceiling. JK

For all of their challenges and obstacles, this group was one of the most inspiring, moving, and action-oriented (highest # of voters in support of the new constitution in the country). What was most impressive about this group is that during the challenges portion of the discussion, they kept referring to themselves as the answer: they need to talk to more people, they need to engage others to join their efforts, they need to organize, they need to share their personal story.

Immediately following that meeting, we submitted our youth organizational assessment and are now working on the national youth leaders’ summit on Wednesday and our next steps plan. No pressure.

This weekend in Nairobi, we’ve spent a lot of time with...

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 14:51:00 -0500

Homeboyz team celebrating.

Cam and me. I swear, he likes me-ish.

Camrino

Bobo and Tracie

Family pic.

Tracie playing the violin.

My lil' crew from home.

This weekend in Nairobi, we’ve spent a lot of time with the Homeboyz team. They’re the closest thing to family we’ve got in Kenya.

Yesterday, we attended a rugby cup tournament to support the Homeboyz Kibera team we met when we first arrived. After a lot of tackling and throwing each other in the mud, the Kibera team took home the cup…or so I’ve been told. I spent the majority of the time trying to win over Face’s boy Camron. I call him Camrino for short. (<-That might be why it took me so long to win him over.)

Today, Myke (Homeboyz founder) and his wife Rose invited us to their house for Sunday afternoon late lunch and family time with their two little ones. Tracie is 8 years old and she loves to dance, play the violin, sing, model, and quick to give hugs. Bobo, on the other hand - is a little fireball that was shy at first. Nothing a cup of ice cream couldn’t cure.

They served us homemade hamburgers, pizza, fries, and salad. (They know their audience.) After lunch we enjoyed tv, tea parties with Bobo, playing with the rugby ball, chasing Bobo, and ice cream.

This is only the second homemade meal we’ve had while in Kenya (5 weeks), and we had a lovely lovely lovely Sunday in their home. They’ve invited us back for homemade chapati (Kenyan flat bread that is very similar to tortillas) on Thursday. It’ll be a chaparty if Bobo, Tracie, and I have any say in it. Zing.

Ps Today really made me miss my little crew back home. So, when I got back to our hotel I called my brother and he put his little ones on the phone. The first thing they asked was, “Emmy, when are you coming to visit us?” Let the countdown begin.

Down But Not Gout

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:51:00 -0500

Mzungu wearing a festive green robe to celebrate St. Patty’s Day

On our last night in Mombasa, our teammate…let’s call him red-haired mzungu (white man in kiswahili)…started feeling sick. It began with a sore throat and within hours he was suffering from a 102 fever (all night).

We had suspicions it could be one of two things:

Did I already mention he had not taken his malaria pills for days? This was frightening suspicion #1.
Mzungu had recently gotten a “move in with me, can I visit you in the US?” proposal from a local gal and was frightened. His body was obv. rejecting love. This was frightening suspicion #2.

The next morning, our friend Face took him to the Mombasa urgent care. They diagnosed him with tonsillitis. Apparently, he’d been infected with a bacteria that was triggered by drinking cold water. (odd, right?) Our flight back to Nairobi was not until 4 pm so he spent the entire day experiencing hot/cold sweats on the beach. He was in horrible shape, and because he was so sick and drowsy he also fell asleep in the sun and got a pretty bad sunburn. #can’twin

He spent another sleepless, sweaty night in Nairobi before going to the hospital again the following afternoon. I played the role of platonic wife and accompanied him. I took such good care of him that instead of directing him to a general doctor, we ended up at a cardiologist’s office. It ended up not being a bad move because in Africa bacterial infections tend to start in the throat area and move to the heart. Long story short, after many tests mzungu is in the hospital for a few days but feeling much, much better.

Was it all worth it? The smile on his face after his sponge bath says so.

You can read from our conversation* below, he is feeling much better.

me: what do you want the title of your blog to be? Man Down-ish?

Down but not “out”

Mzungu: LOL

me: Luck of the Irish?

Mzungu: down but not gout

me: haha How about testiculitis?

Mzungu: NO

me: hahaha

Mzungu: you be crampin my pimpin girl

*published with Mzungu’s permission.

Kenyabunga: Causing Quite a Stir We’ve spent the last 4...

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:27:00 -0500

Bahari

Tamarind Restaurant

Mombasa

Tamarind

Tamarind Sunset

Proof we worked on the coast

My newest pet.

Snorkeling. Notice: No lifejacket!

Jumping off the boat.

Kenyabunga: Causing Quite a Stir

We’ve spent the last 4 days on the East African coast of Mombasa. We were also here last week for Kalifi county Yes Youth Can kickoff with Ambassador Ranneberger.

We’ve been here to continue (and almost wrap up) our listening tour. We’ve had four meetings w/local youth leaders, youth Muslim religious leaders/teachers, and rural groups. Biggest takeaway from these meetings: Muslim women speak up! For being one of the most conservative cities in Kenya, they def. showed up in #s and spoke up. It was also nice to spend time with my friend Halima (remember her a from previous post). I learned more about her story during our discussion with male Muslim teachers. She has 3 older sisters and her dad refused dowries until they had all attended the university. Her sisters are all professionals, and as the youngest - she is def. an outspoken leader in the community. Trust me, you don’t argue with Halima.

We have been able to enjoy some swimming and good eating while on the coast. This time around, instead of hotels, we’ve rented houses on a private beach and get to wake up to a beautiful view of the Indian ocean. We’re definitely lucky to be here.

Funny story to share: On Friday, we spent the afternoon at the Bahari beach resort for lunch and swimming. When it was time to leave I didn’t both to put more than a shirt over my swimsuit because I knew we’d just be driving home. On our way to the car, our friend Face mentioned that Mombasa is the only city in Kenya where it is okay for me to dress that way. Fast fwd. 2 minutes later, our friend Mumby (who works at the resort) caught up with us and said, “Face. Emmy is causing quite a stir here.” I immediately apologized to Mumby and told her I’d put some real clothes on. She said, “No no. Not necessary. The boys spotted you earlier and again just now. They can’t figure you out, they just asked me again…Chinese with a little Latino?”

Zing. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

This one’s for the girls… Today has been the kind...

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:55:00 -0600

Alfred & Me

W/Kibera Groups

Wanawake Power!

US Embassy's Intl. Women's Day Event

W/the 1st woman to ever inspire me.

This one’s for the girls…

Today has been the kind dreams are made of. International Women’s Day was definitely on all of our minds. Our morning meetings were off to a slow start for me because at best – my voice sounds like a sexy garbage disposal. Luckily, I was able to speak at some of our afternoon meetings.

Some highlights from today:

Githurai Youth Group: In Githurai, a Nairobi slum, we met with about 7 local youth leaders who focus on HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and support. Using sports and recreation, they educate youth on HIV/AIDS (work against stigmas, edu., prevention) and host accountability forums (discussions/petition drives to follow up on political promises and legislation).

Edgar, their leader, made an impression on me. During our walk to their sports field (purchased in 1975 by their parents for about 2 shillings), he shared portions of his story with me. In Kenya, there is a lot of violence towards women who gay (I’d imagine it’s equal opportunity gaycism against men, too), but that has not stopped him from providing shelter to a woman who is gay. He told me about his sister who had to leave their community because she’s living with HIV/AIDS and she couldn’t get the medications and help she needed there. In this slum, people ignore it and pretend it’s not happening – and if it is, it is the fault of those infected. As we were wrapping up our conversation, he said to me: “Until women are free, the world cannot be free. We must free our women of kitchen slavery, and we will empower the entire community.” Swoon.

Also, unlike most slums, Githurai has a public library. It is simple and pristine, and well taken care of. As we walked by, we were able to see small children and adults reading inside. They take so much pride in their library that shoes are not allowed.

The next two meetings were held in Kibera, the largest slum in Kenya.

Disability Focus Africa - Kenya: This organization focuses on rights for disabled people (women and men alike), awareness of physiotherapy, advocacy on reproductive health education for deaf women, and general sociopolitical and economic empowerment for people with disabilities.

Huge challenges they encounter:

Malnutrition due to high poverty in Kibera. If children they are trying to help don’t have a full stomach, they don’t think and function well. This is a challenge they didn’t anticipate and wasn’t included in their initial planning.
During the PEV, their offices were broken into and everything was either destroyed or stolen.
Because being deaf is not an actual physical impediment (one that you can see), the local community does not always consider it a disability.
Deaf women are more likely to be raped because it’s difficult for them to communicate, and because of the false rumor that claims if you’re infected w/HIV you can get cured by sleeping with a virgin… Ugh.

This group is refreshing because they prioritize inclusion of all, and work to make sure they are not excluding themselves from helping other groups. They offer community support and visit families to ensure children w/disabilities are receiving the care they need even if they are not attending their office.

True Gunners Youth Club: This youth group works with both men and women but has a specific program for women. The women wing is specifically involved in advocacy of early childhood education, teen pregnancy awareness, reproductive health, weekly savings and income generation activities. About 30 very young women, single mothers, and small children attended our meeting. As we walked into the meeting room, the first thing we saw were walls covered in flip chart paper with training agendas, norms, action items, and tactics for women empowerment. Channeling my inner-Hillary, this meeting is when I got my voice back (seriously). In fact, I introduced myself by saying, “Jambo sana. Jina langu Emmy. Naku penda wanawake. That’s all I know. (Hello everyone. My name is Emmy. I love women! That’s all I know.)”

With everything they do, this group seeks to empower women. Every day, even those that are jobless have a goal of saving at least 10 shillings (~80 shillings = $1) per day for their group savings. A few things they have already accomplished and share with other women:

Vocational trainings
Delegating: Every person has something to contribute
Offering leadership roles
Weekly meetings
Lobbying/Advocacy Support & Coaching
Marriage counseling
Identifying and sharing resources (gov. and non-profit programs that can help them)
Education: Reproductive health, STI edu., HIV/AIDS edu.
Resource center with internet and computers

My final question to them was, “Why? Tell us your ‘why.’ When life has been so difficult for you, why are you here instead of anywhere else?” A few women spoke up. They said that when they come together, they have the courage to move forward and fight for their families. They don’t need to depend on outside parties, like the government, they can depend on their skills and talents. It is their job to find free resources, trainings, and create their own opportunities. Lastly, someone said, “A problem shared is halfway solved.” Inspiring.

Because Elliott knew that Kellie and I were in heaven, he left the discussion and questions to us. However, just before the meeting ended he spoke up. He shared his personal story of growing up with a single mom, how much she means to him and how brave the women in the room are. This is right around the time something got in my eye…

This is my favorite meeting of our trip so far. They view themselves as a sisterhood, and that is exactly what they are.

To wrap up our workday, we attended a reception at Ambassador Ranneberger’s residence.

Cheers to the amazing sisterhood, and happy International Women’s Day everyone.

It’s not the size of your trunk… From the minute I...

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:35:00 -0600

It’s not the size of your trunk…

From the minute I landed in Kenya, elephants ~~and malaria~~ are what I’ve most kept an eye out for. Unfortunately, they’re not interested in attending our youth forums.

After our trek at Nairobi National Park, we visited the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage. This is by far the most special hour I’ve had in a long time. This orphanage rescues and fosters elephants in Africa, specifically Kenya and rehabilitates them. Once they’ve grown up (about 8 years old), they are transitioned back into their natural habitat. Most of the elephants at Sheldrick’s are between the ages of 6 months - 5 years. That means they are very excitable, playful, fast friends, and absolute hams.

Their caretakers are admirable. Because the babies need to be fed every 3 hours, the people taking care of them even sleep with them in their little barn.

Every day, they open for just an hour to the public. During this time, you can watch the elephants drink milk out of a bottle, learn about their stories, and watch them play with each other.

I couldn’t leave without fostering a little guy. I adopted 8-month old Chemi Chemi who is a ruckus boy, very friendly, forgiving, and also the trouble maker of the group. (Appropriate, no?) I’ll be getting monthly updates of Chemi Chemi, pictures, and will even be able to visit him 1:1 to help with his feedings while in Kenya. I’ll be visiting him soon.

To learn more about and see pics. of Chemi Chemi, visit: bit.ly/myfirstborn

Ps After emailing a pic. of the baby elephant drinking milk from a bottle to my little ones back home, my nieces asked if that is the gift I’m bringing them back to Texas. Eek.

Nairobi National Park With 3 or so hours of sleep, we were...

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:07:00 -0600

Nairobi National Park

With 3 or so hours of sleep, we were picked up for the park at 6:30 am.

The park is a few kilometers from our hotel and just outside Nairobi. It’s incredibly beautiful, untouched, and it’s possible that depending on where you are in the park - you may see a giraffe and the Nairobi skyline (and smogline) in the background.

We saw zebras, giraffes (there are 3 different kinds), bulls, ostriches, a turtle, rhinos, baboons, and lions in their natural habitat. The habitat is so “natural” that, in fact, that we observed 3 lionesses and 1 young lion prey and attack a zebra. Guess they’re not playing around with the whole Circle of Life bit. Gulp.

Life is a Bahari Bahari is Kiswahili for...

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:11:00 -0600

Life is a Bahari

Bahari is Kiswahili for beach.

Wednesday morning we left Nakuru for the 7-ish hour drive to the East African coast town of Mombasa for the launch of Yes Youth Can - Coastal Region.

About 4 hours into the trip, my road trip buddies asked me how I was feeling because the day before Elliott forced me (more thoughtful than forceful) to eat the most delicious street mango (finished in about 20 seconds). Sure enough, I assured them that I was taking it like a champ and feeling fine. Of course, I also threw in a funny story about my brother and food poisoning. Fast-forward 20 minutes. Man vs. Food, mango edition. I will never eat mango again…unless they serve it for breakfast tomorrow.

Before you start feeling bad for me, you should know that the first thing I did when I got to our hotel was book a massage (first ever in my life). And, if I was ever going to get food poisoning better it happen before I wear a swimsuit, right? Right.

Similar to Nairobi, Mombasa is a large fast-paced city, but because it is on the coast it has a higher tourism rate. And because it also has a larger Muslim population, it is also more conservative than other parts of the country.

Yesterday was Ambassador Ranneberger’s Yes Youth Can launch in Kilifi county (about 90 min. from Mombasa). This time we were allowed to ride with his convoy. I’ve never been part of a motorcade going that fast on dirt roads which was really fun. It was so hot and dusty that by the end of the day we were melted and covered in dirt. We were covered in so much dirt that I have suspicions it protected us more from the sun than the sunblock.

We attended two events with the USAID and Embassy teams. At the first event, a local tribe honored Ambassador Ranneberger by offering him a painting (of himself), and performing traditional chants and dances in their sacred forest.

The next event was the official launch of Yes Youth Can in Kilifi County. Here is when things started to get interesting. You see, a local member of parliament (MP) showed up and wanted to speak. The Ambassador made it very clear that this was not a political event; this event was about empowering and promoting youth – not a political agenda. After some very tense moments, it was agreed that the MP would have about 30 seconds to speak but would need to leave the event immediately after. And left he did.

Halima, the local National Youth Forum (NYF) leader, organized this kickoff. At 25, she is the youngest leader in NYF. After the Ambassador spoke, she helped us lead our own discussion with the 150 youth leaders in attendance. Our discussions are framed by group discussion first, and based on their organizational feedback (challenges, successes, best practices) we present ideas and solutions during the second half of the meeting. We try to get feedback from both women and men alike but that has been a big challenge for us because women are not always in attendance or used to being included in the conversation. Without cue, Halima made sure this was not the case at her event. Here is how that discussion went:

Halima: I want to hear from a woman.

Woman:

Halima: Great. Thank you. Okay, let’s hear from another woman.

Audience of men: Why are you only calling on women?

Halima: Don’t worry about it. I need to hear from another woman.

Wanawake Power! (Wanawake is woman in Kiswahili.)

Later that evening she met with us at our hotel to give us background info. on the local community. She described what tribes most of the leaders belong to and the local challenges facing ethnic equality. I asked her what tribe she belongs to, and she responded, “Me? I’m Kenyan.” Beautiful. Love that woman.

Today, I woke up early for a swim in the Indian Ocean while catching what was left of the sunrise. Sunrises and sunsets in Kenya are soft, subtle and gentle unlike Texas where they are striking and bold. The only thing odd about today is that I realized someone took my boots for a joyride. When I returned from my swim, I found my boots a bit soaked as if someone had walked into puddles (or the ocean) with them. Eh. At least they know what it’s like to walk in my shoes. (10 hours later, I’m a lot calmer now than I was when I found them.)

After two weeks of traveling and a 7-hour drive back to Nairobi, we are happy to be back. We’ll be here for a week before heading back to the coast for the last portion of our listening tour. Until then, we’ll concentrate our work in Nairobi and the central region.

Looking forward to some rest tonight, and will hopefully watch last week’s episode of Glee when it’s done downloading… in 6 hours.

Miss and love y’all.

A few pic. notes:

Clearest, bluest skies I have ever seen in my life.
Ambassador Ranneberger’s gifted painting…of himself.
Yes Youth Can Kickoff - Kilifi County
Halima taking charge of the event.

Naku Penda Kenya The past two days of our listening tour have...

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:57:00 -0600

Naku Penda Kenya

The past two days of our listening tour have been very busy. 6 am Monday morning we were on our way to Eldoret for two meetings. The first meeting was in an Eldoret slum church. There, we met with about 40-50 neighbors, and community leaders. Two big things stand out from this meeting: 1. They thought we were there to give them money (Similar to each job I’ve had, there is no money to give.) and 2. We were about 40 minutes into our 1 hr. meeting when someone finally stood up and told us that most of the attendees did not speak English. Say what? Yes, it’s true.

Immediately following our meetings in Eldoret, we hit the road to Nakuru (2 hr. drive).

From our meetings today, we gathered that Nakuru has served as both a hot bed for post-election violence (dating back before ‘07) and a place for refugees (this often causes more violence) from the Rift Valley.

This morning we had a really informative meeting with local youth leaders representing the 6 surrounding counties. Most of the organizations we met with focus on peace keeping, protecting the environment, and promoting action in governance. What was unique about this meeting is that we were able to hear personal stories of how the post-election violence (PEV) has affected them. Some of the youth in attendance were directly targeted by their tribe for supporting a political candidate/party outside of their tribe and by the political candidates/party they were supporting for not being a part of their tribe. #can’twin

They told us that even if the violence does not begin in Nakuru, it is often the worst because Nakuru becomes home to refugees. During the last PEV events women are cited as being some of the biggest instigators because when their husbands saw that even they were willing to take violent action – they became angrier and more violent themselves. Everyone agreed that although they violence was instigated by political motivation; it quickly became about tribal rivalries and violence against one another.

During our time in Kenya, we’ve met with all types of groups (small businesses, political, faith, entertainment leaders) that work with local youth, and today we met with a brass band! We met with the Nakuru Brass Band, the only private band in Kenya. This is a band that was started by local youth and has remained local. Parental figures initially helped lead it, but once it caught it’s stride turned it over to the youth members. Every instrument they own was purchased using a collection of small savings and sacrifices each member has made. The small band of about 22 has 8 ethnicities represented. They use their band to show that different ethnicities can work together, be friends, and accomplish greatness. They work with churches, NGOs, and groups like the Peace Corp to travel around Kenya to promote unity and youth empowerment.

Before telling us about their band, they played a song for us titled Naku Penda Kenya (I love you Kenya). It was inspiring and endearing to see them so proud of their country. After telling us about their band, the instructor led an exercise that is representative of Kenya and its challenges. He asked different band members to play tunes of their own to their own beat at different times, which created a musical mess. Then they started playing together, and as he pointed out – it created harmony. Beautiful stuff.

Judy, their treasurer summed it up perfectly. She said, “If you want to go fast, walk alone. If you want to go far, walk together.”

Naku Penda Kenya, y’all.

Some pic. notes:

Pic. of our team before our meeting in the Eldoret church, and before we found out that very few spoke English.
Nakuru Brass Band
City of Nakuru
Mango Cart! (We had fresh mango as an afternoon snack. Wish us luck. Eek.)
I’m a fun road tripper. (zz)

How Emma Got Her Groove Back (zing.) You’ll have to...

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:23:00 -0600

How Emma Got Her Groove Back (zing.)

You’ll have to forgive my awful and gimmicky play on words and titles while writing this blog (…and being friends).

It’s really incredible what a difference a few hours of sleep (and encouraging emails) can make. Friday was our first day off since we arrived in Kenya and I was finally able to get some sleep.

But before I get to Friday, let me tell you about Homeboyz Entertainment. The Homeboyz team isn’t just the leading entertainment group in East Africa but they are also coordinating our logistics while in Kenya. This means they coordinate our travel, brief us, guide us, keep us safe, support us, and are the closest thing to family here. Why? Simply because they’ve made a commitment to Kenyan youth.

A few ways they support Kenyan youth: offer DJ trainings for youngsters (and supporting them at DJ competitions), promote young Kenyan artists internationally (everything from Gospel to Rap), provide recreational outlets all over Kenya (Remember the rugby team in the Kibera slums? They sponsored them.), and partner with USAID on youth projects.

Our two wonderful Homeboyz friends traveling with us are Face and Richie. Thanks to them we had a wonderful day off:

• Kicked off the day by having lunch on the Lake Victoria coast. The fish was daunting at first because it’s the kind that’s fried, then dried, then fried again. Also, you can only eat it with your hands and by pulling the fish from the actual bones. Seriously, they don’t bring you any utensils.

• Visited Kisumu Impala Park: Took a walk in a national park learning about Kenyan animals like lions (simba), ostriches, and monkeys. In Kenya, sanctuaries and zoos can only have rescued animals.

• Took a long boat ride on Lake Victoria in search of hippos. We didn’t find hippos but we did find the most beautiful sunset I have seen in a very long time, maybe ever.

In between, I also found time to work on my swahili with Richie. More on that soon. It was a lovely day.

Kisumu is a city in the Western Province of Kenya. It is urban and rural, and beautiful. It’s home to the Luo tribe which President Obama’s father belonged to. More than any other place in Kenya, you’ll find B Obama hotels, restaurants, souvenirs here.

Over the weekend we had four meetings in Kisumu. FYI: 3 of the 4 meetings did not have a single woman in attendance.

Meeting 1: Youth Leader Mtg. & Training w/Surrounding Counties

During this meeting, we had a conversation about what makes an inspiring and charismatic leader. I asked what they thought made President Obama so likable, and they said: ”He’s handsome!” and I said back to them, “Really? I thought he was lovable because he’s a Luo.” Zing. They loved that. (They were mostly Luos.)

Meeting 2: With young religious leaders

Meeting 3: Local motorcycle/bicycle transit club (boda boda means motorcycle club in swahili)

Meeting 4: Community Meeting

I was most impressed with meeting #2. So far, faith leaders appear to be the most likely to discuss difficult social issues (HIV, the new constitution, ethnic inequality, etc.) with youth, really work to empower them, and even get involved politically (promoting democracy not political affiliation). They said, “We know our goal is to get to Heaven, but we also have a responsibility to prepare them for life here on earth.” Point taken.

As young religious leaders, one of their biggest challenges is working with religious elders who don’t prioritize or understand youth. In regards to ethnic inequality, they mentioned that while elders are likely to praise one tribe over another, youth take offense to that. Although elders still need to get on board, this is a positive sign of the generational shift currently happening in Kenya.

They were vocal in the need for faith leaders to be included in community and youth discussions. According to them (and what I have seen personally), faith leaders are only asked to attend political meetings to open and close with prayer. Nothing more. This needs has to change.

The religious leaders we met with were all Christian, but they also work with other religious groups like Muslims (also popular in Kenya) to promote youth empowerment. Amen.

Tomorrow we’re off to Eldoret for the day of meetings then to Nakuru for 2 nights. Later this week we’ll head to Mombassa on the Kenyan coast for an event with Ambassador Ranneberger.

Thanks to all for the encouraging notes and comments!

Love and miss y’all.

A few pic. notes:

Women protesting in Nairobi
Richie on the boat ride
Kisumu sunset
Lady lion feasting
Freshly dried fish in Kisumu
Freshly served fish in Kisumu

Pizza & Karaoke This week, we’ve spent time with the US...

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:02:00 -0600

Pizza & Karaoke

This week, we’ve spent time with the US Ambassador to Kenya. Ambassador Michael Ranneberger (Republican) is as, if not more, committed to Kenya than anyone I have met here.

He invited us to attend a reception at his residence on Monday for Vital Voices (international group focused developing women leaders). Women in attendance honored the Ambassador for his “unapologetic” support of women’s rights and were all huge fans of his.

Here are a few things I have learned about him:

· He has stayed in Kenya longer than his term (he has now been here for 6 years) because he wants to see real change happen during his term.

· He is a fierce advocate for Kenyan youth and women.

· He is so personable; that often times (probably against better judgment) gives his cell phone # to people he meets.

· He represents the American spirit in human form. It’s true. The man speaks constantly about empowering ourselves and each other, the American spirit, and the American dream.

During our second encounter in Bungoma, he was kicking off the Yes Youth Can program in the Western Province. There were over 70 youth leaders in attendance. During this forum, he allowed for Q & A time and he addressed their challenges and concerns in an honest and direct matter. He introduced us and said, “Look at these kids, here. I want you to really look at them. Some of you are their age, but mostly they are younger than you. These kids are organizing for change at the grassroots level in the US for Barack Obama. We brought them here because we know real change for youth has to come from youth.” (high expectations, much?)

This week we hit the road with the purpose of traveling Kenya for a listening tour. We are trying to get an idea and make an assessment of the challenges youth face (regionally and nationally) in an effort to write regional organizational plans for each.

On Tuesday, we left Nairobi for Bungoma. It is about 5 hours away and crosses over the Equator. The Equator was quite breezy and cool, not scorching hot like I expected.

Bungoma is a small town about 40 kilometers east of the Uganda border. Our hotel accommodations were humble, and because Kenya (with the exception of Nairobi) is a malaria danger zone it was my first encounter with mosquito nets. That night, I marinated in mosquito repellent and even accidentally took a double dose of my malaria medicine (paranoid much?).

Immediately following the Ambassador’s forum on Wednesday, we led a forum of our own. This was our toughest crowd to date. Attendees were youth leaders, youth business owners (farmers), and young elected officials. We immediately got off to a rough start because we were talking too fast and were hard to understand. It was difficult for me to regain my energy after sharing my story of self and why I do the work I do and I started choking up (homesick example #1). This can be humanizing during a 1:1, but definitely not in front of a large crowd. During our breakout groups, they were quick to point out to me that as Americans, it is difficult for us to really grasp their challenges. They are right. But, that doesn’t mean we don’t share common challenges and common dreams. During my breakout group with the farmers, I tried my best to describe the United Farm Workers movement and the benefits of organizing. (Perhaps I should have been having this conversation in WI?) Of course, I took advantage of this to share that my two oldest brothers and mi papa are farmers (homesick example #2).

The best part of our Bungoma trip was meeting Rose. Rose is a woman who lives in a small town in the Western Province who started a Teen Pregnancy Support non-profit. When young women become pregnant in this region, usually the best they can hope for is to become maids and house keepers in Nairobi. Rose is trying to stop that. She helps these young women return to school by mentoring them, and those that don’t because of the stigma that follows them have other opportunities too. She has applied for grants to buy sewing machines so that they can learn how to sew and sell uniforms to local schools. She has made a stone/brick oven that the women bake on and sell pastries to local schools. She is working to empower them while also attending college in Eldoret. Her goal is to have enough funds to build a center where these women can live with their children until they get on their feet.

Next we were on our way to Kakamega. We were lucky to find a nice, American-like (during the 60s) hotel that even had a golf course. We spent our evening there talkin about our meetings, Texas, and the Hillary campaign. (homesick example # 3)

We had three meetings there today. Our first was w/the Kakamega Boarding School for boys. I was impressed with their extracurricular activities and their pride for their school and attendees. The biggest challenges they face is that many of the boys who attend the school have families who were victims of the 2007 post-election violence, and because of economic challenges many of them are forced to drop out. Without any option of public education, this is their only opportunity. What was disappointing about this school is that in Kenya, teachers face some of the big challenges we face in the US. Schools are restricted to a test-based curriculum that is written nationally without taking individual and regional needs into consideration. Also disappointing is that this school does not discuss governmental issues like the revised constitution for fear of the boys acting out and feeling overly empowered. (Seriously.)

Our second meeting was with the government run Ministry of Youth and Sports. I haven’t watched my words so closely since Jimms asked me why I am a 27-year old spinster.

Our third meeting was great! We met with youth leaders from Kakamega who worked with different organizations that focused on different missions ranging from reproductive rights to Christian values to youth with disabilities. This meeting was so energizing and productive that it ended with 3 large flip chart papers on the wall with the following topics: organizational snowflake, Respect-Empower-Include, and mobilizing youth.

We are now in Kisumu, which is by Lake Victoria (think mosquitos). We’ll be here for the next four nights. We are apparently staying in the nicest hotel in the city and paying more for it than I have probably ever paid in the States. However, because it has AC – at this point, I’d probably give up bacon for the rest of my life for it. (JK/ I would never give up bacon.)

Tonight I had pizza for dinner (homesick example #4). It was no Pizza Hut, but it hit the spot. I also volunteered to karaoke. Song of choice: Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey (homesick example #5). Luckily, Elliott volunteered to help me out and thus we performed the Glee version to an audience of two.

Interesting to note that at every restaurant we’ve eaten at or social venue where there have been televisions, they are always showing Mexican Telenovelas. So, perhaps…I should feel more at home here.

Tomorrow we’re taking our first day off since we landed. We’ll be visiting a nearby national park and getting to know this bustling city that is Kisumu.

Love and miss y’all.

Emmy

Notes for a few of the pictures:

· Ambassador Ranneberger

· Standing while Ambassador Ranneberger introduces us

· Facilitating Meetings

· Map of our Travels

· Obligatory Equator Line Pose

Jambo Amigos! This week has been a whirlwind, starting off...

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:38:00 -0600

Jambo Amigos!

This week has been a whirlwind, starting off with not having a set time of when we would fly out. With about 8 hours notice, our team was on a plane to Kenya.

The plane ride to Kenya was pretty breezy, but didn’t sleep much because I was too busy watching free TV and movies, and eating all kinds of free food (cream puffs, pizza, pasta, carrot cake).

We arrived in Kenya late Thursday evening and were picked up by a driver who had a “Don’t Mess w/Texas” bumper sticker. We were driven about 45 minutes from the airport to Gigiri, which is a Nairobi suburb where we are currently staying. Our place is a homely hacienda-like hotel that is all right - all I care about is that it has Internet and they make us breakfast to order every morning. We were placed here because it’s super close to the US Embassy. Also nearby - UNICEF and what looks like a really cool water park.

Everything in Nairobi is very green, as if the city was built inside a park. The weather is beautiful, about 65-75 degrees and sunny with a slight chill in the evening.

Within 12 hours of landing, we had our first meeting with USAID where they basically wished us luck, and told us that while sky is the limit the Ambassador believes that our chances of success are slim to none. They told us that they believe that it is very likely we’ll learn much more than we can possibly teach, and they’re okay with that. I def. agree this will be a learning experience for us - but we are also very committed to succeeded and working long hours everyday to ensure that.

Friday evening we met other USAID/Chemonics colleagues at their hotel and had dinner. We went to one of the most popular restaurants in East Africa appropriately named Carnivore. That’s where I really showed off my Texas meat-eating skills. It’s the type of restaurant that brings you food until you can’t possibly take another bite. We tasted ostrich meatballs (my fav. of the night), camel, and crocodile (Elliott said it tasted like the Nile).

On Saturday we had our first meeting with leaders from the National Youth Forum and the Homeboyz Group. They are the organization we are working with to help spur organizational growth, develop leadership, and talk grassroots organizing organizing organizing with. Youth leaders from around Kenya met with us for lunch, some had even driven 8 hours to meet with us. During the meeting they shared our travel schedule and their expectations with us. We will be traveling the country participating on what I would describe as a Listening Tour. This meeting was very informative because everyone shared what they view are Kenya’s biggest challenges. They mentioned ethnic division and inequality between tribes, ID laws that discourage voters, and the difficulty they find in actual organizing rather than mobilizing. I have to admit, I found myself talking a lot about Texas organizing and even drew our organizational “snowflake.”

Saturday evening we had dinner with a Young Achievers leader, John - who told us about the work he does in the slums to promote leadership, engagement, morality, education, and positive activities like football (maybe rugby?). He took us to dinner to Fogo Gaucho (Brazilian steakhouse, cue: Texas meat eating skills…again). After, we joined Mike from Homeboyz for a celebration. Homeboyz is a group that supports community engagements of sorts - but mostly for entertainment purposes. This particular occasion was celebrating the Homeboyz Rugby team who had recently been accepted into the Kenya Cup - a huge promotion for them. This rugby team was formed in the Kebera slums (the biggest slum in Kenya) and these guys were self-disciplined enough to practice and train themselves. It was an incredible celebration. We gathered at their field without any electricity but plenty of laughs and dream sharing. Including Jimms, who told me about his dreams for a family and a wife - all of which he would leave rugby for. He is 25 and almost fainted when I told him I am 27 and not married.

And here we are at today. Today we left Nairobi and traveled to the Masai Region. The Masai region is very rural and about 40 kilometers from Nairobi. After traveling on rocky dirt roads, we made it to our meeting. Here is where the best part of my trip so far happened.

We met with 22 men and 1 woman. We picked up Alice on the way to the meeting as she was walking on the dirt roads. While we were still on our way to the meeting, in the car - I asked her to tell me her story. Alice is, I estimate, about 35 years old. She left her husband because he abused her, and has 3 boys. She told me her 3 boys treat women with respect and are currently in boarding school. She told me that she recently returned to school to finish her education (secondary) and is running to be a leader. She knows she is a role model in her community and it’s something that she is deeply committed to and will not be deterred.

When the Masai meeting began, after introductions a few of the leaders were asked to speak. I was surprised to hear every male leader apologize profusely for Alice being the only woman in attendance. The other women they said, lived very far away and it would have taken them over 2 days to travel, others were at church. (Meeting was planned with less than 24 hours notice.) It is clear they are working hard to incorporate women and promote gender equality. However, when they asked Alice to speak she said she was surprised because women in Kenya don’t have equal rights or even property rights. But, she did a great job.

At lunch, she and I spent some time working together (serving lunch) and we agreed that we make a great team. I am so inspired by her and we became instant friends. We are planning to get together before I leave in a few weeks.

The Model UN Kenya Chapter hosted our evening dinner. WHOA. Talk about inspiring youth. This team has their act together in ways I have never seen a youth group have. They have traveled the world promoting Kenya, learning about leadership, helping their communities, and are committed to continuing to empower youth. At this meeting we spent a lot of time talking about ethnic inequality and the divides by the different tribes. Some Kenyans will even go as far as refusing medical care if their doctor is from a specific tribe, no matter if they are hemorrhaging. This is tearing their country apart. More on this in future posts.

I can write for hours about my experiences in just 3 days. A few huge takeaways so far:

• Kenyan youth are proud. They don’t want to leave Kenya, they don’t want to revolt against the government - they want to work together to hold each other accountable and promote a better future for everyone.

• They LOVE President Obama! They were as inspired with his campaign as we were. They have said to us: ”Yes we can!” ”We want change we can believe in.” ”Obama has said this, he has said that”…Tonight they told us that the day President Obama was elected became an immediate national holiday in Kenya and they were all allowed to take the day off from school and work to celebrate. Funny though, they know he wasn’t born here.

• Kenyan food is delicious. We had authentic Kenyan cooking today – lamb stew is my favorite so far.

Although I am suffering from extreme jet lag (have slept about 7 hours in the past 48) these meetings are so energizing. I still can’t believe how lucky I am to be in a country like Kenya where I get to talk about organizing every single day.

Pictures:

• The outdoor group picture is with the Masai group. Notice the women to men ratio.

• The indoor group picture is with the Model UN Kenya Chapter group. Notice the women to men ration there, it is a big difference from the other.

• A pic. of Elliott, Alice, and me. Check out the detail on her dress. She sewed it herself. Mesai women are known for many skills, and that is one.

• Although I would never normally take a pic. with someone wearing a Texas aTm shirt, I did so for Lauren.

Will write more soon. Love and miss everyone back home.